Brad Rogers:Of Trump, local GDP and fathers

Sunday

Dec 16, 2018 at 2:01 AM

So the president of the United States is credibly accused of helping pay hush money to a prostitute and a porn star and the response from his own party is, “Well, it’s not like he stood in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shot someone.”

Are you kidding me? The inside the Beltway crowd in both parties are quibbling about legal technicalities. What about morals, folks?

I remember when Bill Clinton was impeached because of the Monica Lewinsky affair and my children were small. I worried how I would explain not only the infidelity, but the lying — by the president. Fast forward 20 years and what President Trump is accused of is not only lying and moral indiscretions, but committing felony campaign finance crimes. Yeah, yeah, it was before he was president. But it was while he was trying to become president. And it’s a crime.

I don’t get it. Have we completely lost our moral compass? No, Trump isn’t the first president to commit adultery. Nor is he the first president to try and hide his affairs. But the president is accused of violating federal law, felonies. And he is accused of philandering with prostitutes and porn stars. This may be a new low for the presidency.

Yes, we all wish Trump and the rest of our, ahem, leaders in Washington would focus on governing and less on whatever all that other constant noise is. But, for goodness sakes, the president and a prostitute and a porn star? Give me a break ... and God save us.

THE LOCAL GDP: The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis this week released its latest county-by-county breakdown of the gross domestic product. GDP is the total amount of economic activity from manufacturing, services and government.

Not surprisingly, Marion County’s GDP grew substantially from 2012 — the end of the Great Recession — and 2015, the latest year for the data. In ‘12, Marion County had a GDP of just over $7 billion. In 2015, that number was $7.93 billion. And no doubt it has grown since then.

The biggest segment of our economy is the “service-providing industries,” which accounted for $5.29 billion of the Ocala/Marion County economy. Those industries include everything from air conditioning services to health care to hotels. The second largest sector was “private goods-producing industries,” that is, manufacturing. It accounted for $1.5 billion.

The final sector is government. Now here’s something you don’t see everyday. Between 2012 and 2015, the GDP for government in our community actually declined from $1.3 billion to $1 billion. So let’s not hear about how government spending is out of control — at least not at the local level.

FATHERING OUR SONS: With the alarming number of domestic violence murders in Ocala/Marion County — 12 so far this year — it is worth mentioning that one of the Children’s Alliances programs aimed at fostering better behavior in our boys and men is The Fatherhood Initiative. Started by longtime school principal Chris Sandy — and she’s back in the principal’s seat, by the way — the program is aimed at helping young fathers, especially those who have been disengaged from their children because of divorce or jail, learn how to be good fathers.

How important is a father. Well, a few years back Major League Baseball was confounded by the drastically declining number of black players coming up through its ranks. After some pricey research and investigation, what it found was illuminating. Researchers found that while youngsters tend to learn football and basketball in groups of other youngsters at playgrounds and gyms, baseball is taught early on by simply playing catch with Dad in the back yard. No dad, no playing catch, no future baseball stars.

It’s one small example of what a dad means to a family, especially the children.

The Fatherhood Initiative is a good program that is touching lives. I hope it continues. We need to be raising ballplayers and decent men, not domestic violence abusers and killers.

Never miss a story

Choose the plan that's right for you.
Digital access or digital and print delivery.